The invention relates to a pack having a group of cigarette packsxe2x80x94cigarette multipackxe2x80x94and a wrapper therefor, the latter being produced by being folded from an, in particular, single-piece blank.
For transportation purposes and, as appropriate, also for subsequent sales purposes, cigarette packs are combined to form so-called cigarette multipacks and, in the process, are provided with an accommodating wrapper (said wrapper accommodating the entire group). Various possible options are known for the configuration of the wrapper. It is not usually possible to see the contents, namely the cigarette packs. In addition, it is difficult to draw conclusions as to the contents from the outer configuration.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pack of which the configuration makes it possible to draw conclusions as to the contents. In addition, the intention is for it to be possible for the pack to be produced as efficiently as possible in high-speed packaging machines.
The pack according to the invention is characterized in that the wrapper is configured in the manner of a wrapper for a hinge-lid pack. The cigarette packs provided as the contents are preferably so-called hinge-lid packs with a box part, having a large upright front wall, a hinge lid, and a collar or analogously configured so-called soft carton packs. According to the invention, the wrapper of the cigarette multipack is likewise configured in the manner of a hinge-lid pack, in particular in the manner of the abovedescribed upright hinge-lid cigarette pack. The pack has the outward appearance of a larger version of the small packs provided as the contents. This gives a clear indication of the contents at first glance.
In contrast to the hinge-lid cigarette packs which are common throughout the worldxe2x80x94the wrapper is constructed in accordance with the so-called transverse-folding principle. In this case, a large front wall (even in the non-folded state) is connected to a large rear wall via an upright narrow first side wall. The front wall is also preferably connected to a second narrow side wall.
The rear wall and one of the side walls are connected to one another via an additional connecting strip. It is possible for the latter to adjoin the second side wall or the rear wall and to be adhesively bonded to the respectively other wall. In respect of the pack being produced in as an efficient a manner as possible, it is advantageous for the connecting strip to be arranged on the rear wall. During production of the pack, a group of cigarette packs is positioned on the first side wall and pushed into a pocket of a folding subassembly with the wrapper, which folds in the form of a U in the process. The pocket walls of the folding subassembly are dimensioned such that it is possible for the second side wall and the connecting strip to project out of the pocket and to be folded one upon the other by corresponding folding elements.
The wrapper or the blank provided therefor is of single-piece design. This means that the lid and collar form part of the blank. In this case, the walls which are provided for forming the lid adjoin at the top of the walls which are provided for forming the box part. Moreover, the parts which are provided for the collar are arranged above the lid walls. In this case, connections are provided between the collar and lid walls, in particular in the region of upright longitudinal folding lines, by correspondingly provided material webs between collar and lid walls. During production of the pack, the collar is folded downward through 180xc2x0 and comes to rest, in part, on walls of the box part and, in part, on walls of the lid. Adhesive bonding, naturally, is only provided in the region of the box part. The material webs provided between the collar and lid tear open when the pack is opened for the first time.
In the region of a lid front wall, a lid inner tab is folded inward. The latter is punched out in the region of the transition between the lid front wall and front wall of the box part. This correspondingly produces, on the finished pack, a cutout, between the lid front wall and box part, which is equal to the size of the lid inner tab and is concealed on the inside by the collar front wall. The latter may be provided here with an inscription.
Hinge-lid cigarette packs, meanwhile, are available in three different versions, namely, with relatively sharp 90xc2x0-edges in the region of the upright longitudinal folding lines, as so-called round-edged packs and as so-called octagonal packs. The pack according to the invention may also be designed in the manner of these three versions. It is preferable for the type of cigarette packs which are provided as the contents to correspond precisely to the type of cigarette multipack.
Further features of the invention can be gathered from the claims. These also include packaging for accommodating a group of cigarette packs and a blank for forming a cigarette multipack.
The invention also relates to a pack having a wrapper and a group of cigarette packsxe2x80x94cigarette multipackxe2x80x94the wrapper being produced by being folded from an, in particular, single-piece blank and having a base wall, narrow upright side walls, a top wall, and a large-surface-area (wide) front wall and rear wall. This specific pack is characterized in that, in the region of the transitions between the front wall and end walls and/or rear wall and end walls, rounded regionsxe2x80x94round edgesxe2x80x94or folds which are adjacent to one another with a small spacing therebetween for forming an octagonal pack are provided instead of xe2x80x9csharpxe2x80x9d 90xc2x0 folds.
Here too, an essential aspect of the invention is that the outer form of the pack gives an indication of the contents. The contents thus comprise known round-edged packs for cigarettes, in particular with a hinged lid in each case. The grouping of the cigarette packs corresponds to that of a conventional cigarette multipack, namely two rows with five packs each, the cigarette packs within a row butting against one another by way of their narrow sides, and the packs of adjacent rows butting against one another by way of large-surface-area walls (front wall or rear wall). Correspondingly, the group of cigarette packs have upright round edges. These come to rest on the inside of the round edges of the pack according to the invention. Unnecessary cavities are thus avoided. It is also the case that the pack overall is relatively stable since it is precisely in the region of the round edges that the round edges of the cigarette packs abut on the inside and give additional support.
Special features are provided in respect of the configuration of tabs for forming the upright narrow end walls, in particular in respect of the tabs which are connected to the base wall (base tabs).
Naturally, the packaging and the blank are also claimed addition to the pack.
In the same way as the pack according to the invention mentioned in the introductionxe2x80x94the wrapper consists of foldable material, in particular of thin cardboard, strong paper or the like.